Lest We Forget --- Saturday, April 12, 1913

I know...I know...I told everyone that I was going to get caught up on Clem Dickson's diary. A few "issues" got in the way... We'll talk about that later!

Here's the entry for Saturday, April 12, 1913:

Henry and I left Edson at 8 oclock for McLeod Bridge to bring the work to Edson that we should have done the day before. got back to Edson at 11 oclock 8 miles

I wrote a letter to Jack Morrison

I had a bath and put my close to sock for the morning.

Let me re-emphasize that these pages are transcripts, meaning WYSIWYG: What you see is what you get! Clem's spelling was always creative! And this page is an example: "close" = "clothes" and "sock" = "soak" and others.

Here's the shot:
[caption id="attachment_901" align="aligncenter" width="235"] No mention of the weather![/caption]

Lest We Forget---Friday April 11, 1913

Another mention of the weather warming up. Cullerne makes a rare mistake!

Steve and I took the Local out from Edson to Peers to finish our work to Edson Left Peers at 9 0clock had dinner at Rosevior [?]and we found out that Cullerne gave him the wrong list and we could only work out for 10 miles then we Pump in to Edson 8 miles.

Weather fair and warm

Lest We Forget---Thursday, April 10, 1913

There's a few words here I can't make out...I may have to come back for an edit at a later time...

We left Leaman at 7.30 for Peers 22 Mileca Cullerne was moving the Outfit to Edson and he would pick us up as there is moo place to stay

Weather very warm all day I worked with coat off all day

Lest We Forget---Wednesday, April 9, 1913

Who's Henry? This is the first mention of anyone named "Henry". Not much going on this Wednesday...

Henry and I left this morning for Leaman at 8 Oclock 18 miles

We had dinner at Frankins [?] Left at One Oclock for Leaman arrived at 5 Oclock

Weather washier and warm all day

[caption id="attachment_890" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 18 mile walk to Leaman 8 AM to 5 PM[/caption]

Lest We Forget---Tuesday, April 8, 1913

Another day off!

We did not work today as Cullerne sent wire for us to stay here today as the outfit was to come up this after noon and stake put a siding here it took about an hour weather fine and warm.

Lest We Forget---Monday, April 7, 1913

Slow Monday...

Juneau and I left Wabamun at 8.05 for Entwistle had dinner at Fallis. Arrived 5.20 at Entwistle 21 miles

Weather was fine a little East wind.

Cullerne was to bring the outfit up today but no train stoped (sic) for him

Juneau and I stayed all night with Bert.



Here's a shot of the front of the leather bound diary:

Reminder about "Lest We Forget"

I thought I'd plug in a reminder here about what's been getting posted. One hundred years ago, my grandfather, Clement Dickson, worked on the building of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad. He kept a diary in which he made an entry every day during the year 1913. I thought it would be appropriate to recreate what he wrote.

Initially, I tried to keep up with it day by day, posting January 1, 1913 on January 1, 2013 and so forth. Well, I got WAY behind and I'm trying to get caught up in the next few days.

I'll be plugging in other "stuff" so it won't be just the diary, there's a lot going on. For example, our above ground pool needed a small section of the deck replaced. That little repair signaled the end of the pool! A tug on the section we were trying to pull out cracked the corner and that was the end of it!

There's lots more, but lets get on with the diary!

Lest We Forget---Sunday, April 6, 1913

Sunday, but no mention of the wash... Too busy playing cards with Juneau, I guess!

We did nothing all day but go to our meals. Cullerne went Edson I guess he wanted to go to town Juneau and I played cards all afternoon. a little rain about 5 Oclock I wrote two letters one to C.B.L. One home.

Lest We Forget---Saturday, April 5, 1913

Did they walk 21 miles?!?!?

Got up at 6 Oclock Weather fine but a little cold in the morning Juneau and I came from Stony Plain to Wabamun 21 miles arrived at 5.20 Wind was in our back all the way

Had dinner at Carvil. Our first thunder storm started at 6.20 lated [lasted] till some time in the night

Lest We Forget---Friday, April 4, 1913

Got in late...Got up early...

I got to bed this morning at 1.30 train was late then got up at 6 Oclock and went to work. Duncan and I went down from St. Pt to Atchson to bring up the benches that were left behind to be paint very slow work got in at 5 Oclock 10 miles

I wrote two letters one to T.M.D. one to Fisher

NOTE: "Fisher" is probably a reference to Clem's brother-in-law, Duncan Fisher, the husband of Clem's sister, Mary Ann.

Lest We Forget---Thursday, April 3, 1913

Clem seems to be trying to help his friend Kinzie find a job in Edmonton:

Kinzie and I came back to Edmonton for the day there was not much work to do th day. We strolled around town all morning looking for a job and nothing was doing. Kinzie wanted me to stay in town and get a job in town I [-?-] Jim to come over to Edmonton and I put the night with him. I took the night train for Stony Point.

Lest We Forget---Wednesday, April 2, 1913

Left the camp at 7 oclock to Kinzie at 10 Oclock at Windsor I started around till ten Oclock Kinzie did not turn up till 10.30 Then we went around town looking for a job for him and We took the 10 Oclock train for the north yards.

Lest We Forget---Tuesday, April 1, 1913

Did these guys play tricks on each other on April Fool's Day?? I kinda doubt it...

Weather about the same as yesterday The train man broke our rest about 5 Oclock the morning as we move to the north yards arr. at the north yards at 12.30 I had no breakfast this morning dinner at the State at 1 Oclock then went over to town. I met Jim and stayed over at the camp att night with him.



Every once in a while, I like to remind everyone that I'm attempting to transcribe what Clem wrote. In other words, what I see is what you get!! So, many...MANY...words are misspelled, punctuation is virtually non-existent and capital letters are few and far between, other than the "W" in "Weather"! Many words are illegible to me, so if you can figure them out, let me know, I'll appreciate it!

Lest We Forget---Monday, March 31, 1913

So, there was no washing on Sunday, but here it is getting done on Monday. Actually, Monday was a traditional wash day in colonial times. I've heard people claim that Monday was traditional because that's the day the Pilgrim's first got off the Mayflower. And you can bet THEY needed to do some laundry! Phew!!!

Weather was fine and soft. I had a big washing today some I should have done yesterday. I finished at 11.30

In the after we all went out to run breek [?] to the river on a land line Worked till 4.30 then came in

"Land line"?? I'll be it's not what we know of today as a "land line"!!

Lest We Forget---Sunday, March 30, 1913

Well, it's Sunday and there's no word about "the wash"...

All night on the train arr. at Edson at 8 Oclock had breakfast at Frank's outfit. Then we fooled around all day.

Kinzie and I took a little walk but there was too much wind to go far


[caption id="attachment_853" align="aligncenter" width="229"] Too windy to walk![/caption]

Lest We Forget---Saturday, March 29, 1913

A little time to relax maybe??

We got up at 7 Oclock had breakfast the first thing was to have a game of pool, Then we went over to the High Level Bridge for to see Jim but I could not get. I left word to meet him at the Windor Hotel but he did not show up Left Edmonton at 12.15 for Edson train was late

[caption id="attachment_850" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Back to Edson[/caption]

Busy Schedule

This summer, I've lined up a fairly busy schedule. I've been asked back to 5 locations to conduct more classes on "Introduction to Genealogy". Yellow House Center for Community Learning, Hitchcock Free Academy, Wilbraham and Chicopee Public Libraries and now the Agawam Public Library. I'll also have a 4th series of sessions at the First Church in Ludlow.

On a whim, I sent an e-mail to the local TV station. They run a daily program called "Mass Appeal". They have a multitude of guests on all sorts of subject from home improvement, gardening, car repair, books...a broad spectrum of interests. I figure that genealogy is just as interesting! I told them that genealogy has "Mass Appeal" which happens to be the name of their show... We'll see!

Lest We Forget Friday, March 28, 1913

Weather and work...weather and work...

Weather about the same as yesterday strong west wind. I left Stony Plain at 7 oclock for the lower box bridge arrived at the Bridge at 11 oclock the end of the work 26 miles had dinner at South Edmonton Then went up town and met Kinzie and then we were too [-?-] Then all afternoon took in a show in the evening we stay all night at Royal Gorges

Lest We Forget Thursday, March 27, 1913

Clem stayed at a hotel Thursday night. Whatever type of hotel it was, it had to be more comfortable than sleeping on the train!

Weather fine with a strong west wind I left Entwistle at 8 oclock for Stony Plain I had dinner at Wabamun arrived at Sony Plain at 4.30 42 miles stayed at the hotel all night.

Wednesday, March 26, 1913

More work, this time in spite of the snow!

Weather dull [?] it snow all morning about 12.30 the sun came out and cleaned the rail no trains all morning I stayed in Leaman all morn left for Entwistle at 2.30 arrived at 5 oclock 18 miles. Stayed all night with Bert.

Lest We Forget Tuesday, March 25, 1913

Sounds like Clem's back to work...can't blame anything on the weather! This was easy to read until the very last word. Looks like "Browsia"???

Got up at 6.30 had breakfast. Weather was fine I left on the spreader at 8 oclock to paint benches. worked from Edson to Leaman 43 miles arrived at 4.30 stayed all night at [Browsia]

I tried too look at a map of Alberta near Edmonton and Edson but nothing popped up that looked anything like "Browsia"... Maybe it's "Brownie" which might be somebody's nickname.

Help needed here again!

[caption id="attachment_836" align="alignright" width="236"] Where did he stay that night???[/caption]

Lest We Forget Monday, March 24, 1913

The weather went form "good" to "snow"...

Got up at 6.30 weather looked good after breakfast I got ready to start and it started to snow about 8 oclock so I had to leave it go till the next day. I worked around the car all day. Cullerne was up in the office.

Lest We Forget Sunday, March 23, 1913

Sunday...laundry and letters...no mention of a church service! Well, they were way out in the boondocks!

Weather fine. I got ready in the morning for a big washing between times I was writing I wrote 6 letters one home Allie Agatha Fred Jim, C B La. After I was all through the washing and letters about 4 30 I had to fix the spreader for to start to work in the morning.

Getting "Even"!

Quick post:

I just got this in an e-mail from "Thoughtful Mind"....I have no idea who that might be. But anyway, here's the quote: “The only people with whom you should try to get even with are those who have helped you.” ― John E. Southard

I'd like to be able to tell you who John E Southard is or was, but I don't have time to Google him! Anybody know..... Leave a comment...

Lest We Forget Saturday, March 22,1913

It might be the weekend, but it looks as though there was still plenty to do around the camp!

All night on the train arrived at Edson at 6 oc I had breakfast at Franks outfit. Then came down here and had a lot of work to clean up after being away for a week.

Weather was fine I went to the show at 8 oclock came back and went to bed because tomorrow is wash day.

Lest We Forget Friday March 21, 1913

There are a few words here that I can't make out. Any help would be appreciated! But, here's the transcript of what I've been able to read"

Work all over I stay in Edmonton all day about 1030 D Bracle [?] came in today’s [--?-] and stay there talking about death. Then [-?-] came out to cash a check for Donald, Then D. and I went and had a game of pool before dinner. After dinner we went to see the Rose Maid Empire
Left for Edsos on the 10d

[caption id="attachment_822" align="alignleft" width="239"] This one's tough to read! HELP!![/caption]

Lest We Forget March 19th and 20th, 1913

Long time away form blogging! Lots to catch up with...

Here's the page from Wednesday March 19, 1913 Thursday, March 20, 1913. The entry for the 19th is short and the end of the entry for the 20th is at the bottom so I combined them on this page.

Weather clear but cold 28 below. To cold to work. I stayed all day in stony Plain. A strong cold west wind blowing. I did nothing but lazed around the hotel all day.

Weather was fine much warmer than yesterday fine for running a spreader Left Stony plain at 8 o’clock for the north yards. I had the wind in my back all the way down arrived at N. G. [?] at 12 o’clock had dinner at the Hotel and finish all the work CBB at 2 o’clock Then I went in to Edmonton and met Jim Dickson had a fun game of pool with him.

[This portion is continued from the next page of the 20th. Clem ran out of room!!]
Mch 20
I had supper with him and about 11 o’clock he went over to strachoma [?]

Jim Dickson was one of Clem's brothers. He was about 6 years older having been born in 1882. He was married to Anna Louisa Ashton, but I have no further information about his family.